Lenten season drives up seafood sales in south La.

In south Louisiana today, most Lenten observers follow the tradition of abstaining from eating meat on Fridays, instead getting their protein from seafood, including fish, shellfish and alligator.

Nikki BuskeyStaff Writer

In south Louisiana today, most Lenten observers follow the tradition of abstaining from eating meat on Fridays, instead getting their protein from seafood, including fish, shellfish and alligator. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' website, outlawed meat comes from living land animals including chicken, cows, sheep and pigs.Al Mahler, owner of Big Al's Seafood in Houma, said Lent is generally one of the busiest times of the year for seafood sales.But Mahler added that because of the timing of this year's Lent beginning so close to Valentine's Day, the first Friday wasn't as busy as he expected. But he's preparing to do swift sales at the end of this week.“I'm expecting big business and a lot of crawfish,” Mahler said.Crawfish are abundant and cheaper this year, Eschete said.Eschete said she was selling medium-to-large crawfish for $1.99 a pound live and $2.99 a pound boiled, costs she said are $1.25 cheaper than last year. “For the first time in 10 years we're buying all we need and selling out,” she said.Symantha Sevin, owner of Baithouse Seafood in Chauvin, said Lent and the summer months are some of the best times for seafood sales. Right now people are buying everything — crabs, shrimp and crawfish.“In the summer I get a lot of tourists and recreational travellers,” she said. “My locals are excellent, but the tourism is a blessing for my business.”Locals weighed in on their preferred Lenten meals on The Courier and Daily Comet's Facebook pages.Kimberly Price Chauvin, 45, of Chauvin, said her favorite Lenten meal is fried softshell crabs with shrimp and crab meat cream sauce on top, served with steamed vegetables, a baked potato and fresh French bread on the side.“I enjoy all Louisiana seafood being from the bayou and a child of the water,” said Dulac resident Vonda Billiot. “I've been blessed to have it all, cooked in all manners.”But Billiot said what's she's really looking forward to this holy season is an oyster gumbo.“Oysters have that strong flavor that overtakes — in a good way — any dish,” she said.Shellie Borne Lasseigne of Cut Off said she traditionally eats tuna salad for lunch each Friday during Lent until Good Friday when the family celebrates with a large seafood boil.But others said they tried to curb their passion for seafood in favor of Lent's focus on fasting and penance.The Conference on Catholic Bishops also spoke of restraint. The website's Q&A on Lenten observance advised that while seafood can be eaten on Fridays, it discouraged hitting up the seafood buffet and overindulging. Fasts are meant as penance to remember the sacrifices of Christ.“I love being back home for Lent, but I believe we should fast and not really crave all the wonderful seafood. It doesn't seem like penance,” said Allison Mazerac, 35, from Bayou Blue. “I have an egg salad sandwich, but I'd much rather have crabs full of eggs.”But there are ways to enjoy your Friday seafood while observing some of the Lenten traditions of charity.St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux holds a gumbo meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Friday during Lent in the church's Life Center. The co-cathedral is at 721 Canal Blvd., but the Life Center's entrance is in the rear, on President Street.The popular gumbo lunch, which is in its 24th year, raises money for the Catholic Charities' Good Samaritan food banks.The cost is $7 for a bowl of gumbo, french bread, potato salad, dessert and as much iced tea as you can drink. Sixty-seven volunteers cook and serve the gumbo lunch, which feeds hundreds of hungry Lent observers, said Jimmy Labit, head of the gumbo ministry. Last Friday, a slow day, they served 618 bowls of gumbo, he said.He expects between 700 and 800 people to attend the lunch each Friday for the rest of Lent. The Lenten gumbo raises tens of thousands of dollars for the food bank each year, he said.

Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or nicole.buskey@houmatoday.com.

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